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Thursday, March 8, 2012

Charcoal Uses In Kuala Sepetang

Charcoal has been used since the earliest times for a range of
purposes including art and medicine, but by far its most important use
has been as a metallurgical fuel. Charcoal is the traditional fuel of a
blacksmith's forge and other applications where an intense heat is
wanted. Charcoal was also used historically as a source of carbon black
by grinding it up. In this form charcoal was important to early
chemists and was a constituent of formulas for mixtures such as gunpowder. Due to its high surface area charcoal can be used as a filter, as a catalyst or as an adsorbent.

Metallurgical fuel

Charcoal burns at intense temperatures, up to 2700 degrees Celsius. By comparison the melting point of iron
is approximately 1200 to 1550 degrees Celsius. Due to its porosity it
is sensitive to the flow of air and the heat generated can be moderated
by controlling the air flow to the fire. For this reason charcoal is an
ideal fuel for a forge and is still widely used by blacksmiths. Charcoal
is also an excellent reducing fuel for the production of iron and has
been used that way since Roman times. In the 16th century England had to
pass laws to prevent the country from becoming completely denuded of
trees due to production of iron. In the 19th century charcoal was
largely replaced by coke,
baked coal, in steel making due to cost. Charcoal is far superior fuel
to coke, however, because it burns hotter and has no sulfur. Until World
War II charcoal was still being used in Sweden to make ultra
high-quality steel.

Cooking fuel

Prior to the industrial revolution charcoal was occasionally used as a cooking fuel. Modern "charcoal briquettes", widely used for outdoor grilling and barbecues in backyards and on camping trips, imitate this use, but are not actually charcoal. They are usually compacted mixtures of coal or coke and various binders.

Automotive fuel

In times of scarce petroleum, automobiles and even buses have been converted to burn wood gas (a gas mixture consisting primarily of diluting atmosphericnitrogen, but also containing combustible gasses, mostly carbon monoxide) released by burning charcoal or wood in a wood gas generator. In 1931 Tang Zhongming developed an automobile powered by charcoal, and these cars were popular in China until the 1950s. In occupied France during World War II, wood and wood charcoal production for such vehicles (called gazogènes) increased from pre-war figures of approximately fifty thousand tons a year to almost half a million tons in 1943.[7]

Purification and filtration

Activated carbon

Charcoal may be activated to increase its effectiveness as a filter. Activated charcoal readily adsorbs
a wide range of organic compounds dissolved or suspended in gases and
liquids. In certain industrial processes, such as the purification of
sucrose from cane sugar, impurities cause an undesirable color, which
can be removed with activated charcoal. It is also used to absorb odors and toxins in gases, such as air. Charcoal filters are also used in some types of gas masks. The medical use of activated charcoal is mainly the adsorption of poisons,
especially in the case of suicide attempts in which the patient has
ingested a large amount of a drug. Activated charcoal is available
without a prescription, so it is used for a variety of health-related
applications. For example, it is often used to reduce discomfort (and
embarrassment) due to excessive gas in the digestive tract.[citation needed]
Animal charcoal or bone black is the carbonaceous residue obtained by the dry distillation of bones. It contains only about 10% carbon, the remainder being calcium and magnesium
phosphates (80%) and other inorganic material originally present in the
bones. It is generally manufactured from the residues obtained in the glue and gelatin industries. Its decolorizing power was applied in 1812 by Derosne to the clarification of the syrups obtained in sugar
refining; but its use in this direction has now greatly diminished,
owing to the introduction of more active and easily managed reagents. It
is still used to some extent in laboratory
practice. The decolorizing power is not permanent, becoming lost after
using for some time; it may be revived, however, by washing and
reheating. Wood charcoal also to some extent removes coloring material
from solutions, but animal charcoal is generally more effective.[citation needed]

Art

Four sticks of vine charcoal and four sticks of compressed charcoal

Two charcoal pencils in paper sheaths designed to be unwrapped as the pencil is used and two charcoal pencils in wooden sheaths

Charcoal is used in art for drawing, making rough sketches in painting and is one of the possible media for making a parsemage. It must usually be preserved by the application of a fixative. Artists generally utilize charcoal in three forms:

Vine charcoal is created by burning sticks of wood (usually willow or linden/Tilia) into soft, medium, and hard consistencies.[citation needed]

Powdered charcoal is often used to "tone" or cover large
sections of a drawing surface. Drawing over the toned areas will darken
it further, but the artist can also lighten (or completely erase) within
the toned area to create lighter tones.

Compressed charcoal charcoal powder mixed with gum binder
compressed into round or square sticks. The amount of binder determines
the hardness of the stick. Compressed charcoal is used in charcoal pencils.

Medicine

Charcoal was consumed in the past as dietary supplement for gastric problems in the form of charcoal biscuits. Now it can be consumed in tablet, capsule or powder form, for digestive effects.[citation needed] Research regarding its effectiveness is controversial. (Am J Gastroenterology 2005 Feb 100(2)397-400 and 1999 Jan 94(1) 208-12)Red colobus
monkeys in Africa have been observed eating charcoal for the purposes
of self-medication. Their leafy diets contain high levels of cyanide,
which may lead to indigestion. So they learned to consume charcoal,
which absorbs the cyanide and relieves indigestion. This knowledge about
supplementing their diet is transmitted from mother to infant.[8]
Also, see Activated charcoal, medicinal applications.

Smoking

Special charcoals are used in smoking the hookah.
Lit coals are placed on top of foil which is placed over the tobacco
bowl; through indirect heat the coals "cook" the tobacco to a
temperature that does not burn it but produces smoke.

Environmental implications

Charcoal production at a sub-industrial level is one of the primary
causes of deforestation in the Developing World. Charcoal production is
usually illegal and nearly always unregulated.[citation needed] Massive forest destruction has been documented in areas such as Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of Congo, where it is considered to be a primary threat to the survival of the mountain gorillas.[9] Similar threats are found in Zambia.[10]Source Wikipedia Kuala Sepetang Eco Tourism, Boat Ride to Mangrove Forest, Firefly, fireflies

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About Me

Meeting new people every day is a very interesting job. Learning new things every day make it more meaningful.A keen nature lover and conservationist, Khairul did not imagine that his hobby would equip him to play a leading role in Visit Malaysia Yearamirulisa@yahoo.com.my SMS in the morning. Call me in the evening Tel 012 5145023

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Yours To Discover

To conserve the nature, low impact development, good impression from the tourist, well prepared and well trained. “Being honest, professional and inspirational.”

Our Logo & Caption

Kuala Sepetang Eco Track operates in Matang Mangrove Forest which boasts 28 true mangrove species and 13 associate species, 19 mammals, 155 species of birds, 112 species of fishes, 3 species of stingrays, 50 species of crabs, 3 species of firefly and 20 species of prawns. Lucky visitors have also spotted the Chinese White Dolphin swimming along the river-mouths.

Reporters Testimonial

The sight of Kuala Sepetang fireflies is spectacular! Jessie, I can say that it's better than Kuala Selangor today, and much better than the other spots I've been - Yakyah and Merang in Terengganu. Can't say if it's the best in Malaysia - more than 50 known spots including in Sabah and Sarawak. But what i can say is that it's worth the money to go check it out. Yes, Aida, u should go too. Yr kids will love those "lightning bugs". Do read my story on Kpg Dew in Travel, NST Putri Zanina Charcoal & Village Tour Ipoh Echo Mariam Mokhtar